Recycled
by M. Side
Summary: Isn't it the cardinal rule of friendship that you don't date your friend's ex? Charlotte's going to learn that the rule can't be broken, but your friends will stick by you.


****

Author's Note: As always, the Italics are Carrie's thoughts and narration, just like in the show. The things in bold are the ones she types for her columns.

Disclaimer: Candace Bushnell owns Sex and the City, and so does Darren Star. I do not own anything. 

Recycled

Charlotte York smiled as she opened the door to her Park Avenue apartment. "Would you like to come in?" She asked with an innocent charm. 

Aiden Shaw grinned. He peeked into the apartment. "It's really nice," He said, "really lovely. Are you this successful that you got a glamorous Park Avenue home?"

"Actually, I got it when I divor -- Yes, it is lovely, isn't it?" Charlotte blushed. "But I really think it's too big for one person."

"We can change that," Aiden grinned with a boyish charm. He wrapped his arms around Charlotte's skinny waist, and kissed her passionately. 

*~* 

Aiden left at around three. Charlotte couldn't bear to ask him to stay the night. She felt so guilty. She knew she had to tell Carrie. But it was like a sinking ship in the pit of her stomach. So she called Miranda.

"I slept with Aiden," Charlotte said before Miranda could even say hello.

"Carrie?" Miranda asked, surprised and sleepily.

"No, it's Charlotte. I met Aiden at a bar and we went back to my place and we fucked." Charlotte groaned, feeling more and more dirty by the millisecond. 

"Are you out of your mind?" Miranda screamed. "That's Carrie's EX. They were engaged. You technically just used Carrie's recycled garbage."

"Want to make me feel worse than I already do?" Charlotte sighed. She could feel the tears spring into her eyes. "I haven't felt the miserable since Trey and I decided to divorce."

Miranda clacked her tongue. "Listen. It's after three in the morning. Sleep on it. Tomorrow when we go for lunch, just tell Carrie calmly. We're in our thirties. I don't think Carrie would do anything petty or immature."

Charlotte shook her head. "I can't believe I did this. I'm not some hooker, I'm not whore."

"I know." Miranda said. "I can't believe you did it, either." 

Charlotte wiped her eyes. "Do you think Carrie's going to hate me until her dying day?"

"That isn't like Carrie," Miranda said, "she'll be pissed though."

"And who wouldn't be?" Charlotte cried. "I'm scum of the Earth." 

*~*

_1:21 pm, Tuesday afternoon in September. Around the table at a local café was Charlotte York, Miranda Hobbes, Samantha Jones, and me, Carrie Bradshaw. We shared our thoughts and fantasies over bagels, salads, and drinks. It was a routine, and we liked it._

"I slept with Aiden," Charlotte confessed as soon as we sat down.

The entire table went quiet for a second.

Carrie spoke the first words. "What?" Her voice was soft and broken. Charlotte could tell that Carrie's heart had just broke into two. 

Samantha's mouth hung open. Miranda grabbed her fork and held onto tightly.

"Last night I went to a bar on 39th street, and I saw Aiden. We started talking, we went back to my place, and I slept with him." Charlotte said quickly. 

"How could you do this to me?" Carrie asked. 

"He kissed me first," Charlotte said defensively. 

"But that didn't mean you had to kiss back, Charlotte," Carrie said. She grabbed her purse and left the restaurant. 

*~*

_It was the ultimate betrayal. One of my best friends had slept with my ex-fiancée. She had basically picked up my recycled trash off the floor, dusted it off, and made it new again. Could I ever forgive Charlotte for what she had done?_

Carrie wrote on her computer. She suddenly had a new inspiration for her column: Friends and Exes. 

**"If you break up with someone, but still feel attracted to him, or even you don't feel attracted to him, is it ever okay for a friend to pick up where you left off? And why do we let it bother us?**

If we are no longer with the person, should we condemn our friends for dating them?"

"Maybe I'm being petty," She whispered to herself. "I'm not dating Aiden anymore, so why should it bother me?" Carrie really felt the urge for a cigarette. She was going to hunt through her old Jimmy Choo shoeboxes for a pack.

Just as she was about to do the latter, there was a knock on the door. "One minute," Carrie yelled. She opened the door, and there was…Charlotte, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"I'm sorry," Charlotte whispered. 

Carrie took Charlotte into her arms and hugged her. 


End file.
